Many instances of a similar kind have been casually brought to light, in spite of his endeavours to conceal them. We have seen with what ardour he engaged in a similar office for his friend Prior for though he had at that time little interest in Ireland, yet, by the utmost exertion of that little, he remitted to him between two and three hundred pounds, collected by him for subscriptions to his works as appears by receipts in my possession. Pope, in his preface to Homer, acknowledges in the strongest terms his obligation to him for his uncommon zeal in promoting the subscription to that work: and well he might, as there is good reason to believe that the sum procured by his solicitation was not less than a thousand pounds. We find him every where extolled for his preeminence in this first and rarest of virtues, by his numerous correspondents among whom were many the most distinguished of that age for talents and worth. In his friendships he was warm, zealous, constant: and perhaps no man ever contracted such a number with so judicious and happy a selection. It was this strangely assumed character, this new species of hypocrisy reversed, as lord Bolingbroke justly termed it, which prevented his appearing in that amiable light, to which he was entitled from the benevolence of his heart, except to a chosen few. Especially as he stood in so conspicuous a point of view, from the superiority of his talents, that his example might have been of the greatest benefit, toward supporting the cause of religion and virtue as, on the other hand, infidelity and vice gloried not a little, on the supposed enlistment of so great a name under their banner. In which respect he was certainly highly blamable, as he was himself a teacher of that religion, which enjoins its professors to Let their light so shine before men, that they might see their good works, &c. This it was which gave him such a detestation of hypocrisy, a vice generally laid to their charge, as to make him run into the opposite extreme. To this he imputed all his own sufferings, as well as those of his family which fixed such a rooted hatred in him to them and their principles, as he took every opportunity of manifesting by his writings, whenever occasion offered, during the whole course of his life. Upon inquiring into the history of his progenitors, he found that his grandfather had been reduced from a state of affluence, to extreme poverty, by the most cruel persecution of the fanaticks in the time of Cromwell. We have already seen during what a length of years his proud spirit groaned under a state of dependance on his relations for a scanty and precarious support. I shall now show how this peculiarity first grew upon him. I have already accounted for this in the preface, from a peculiar cast of his mind, which made him not only conceal these qualities from the publick eye, but often disguise them under the appearance of their contraries. all which he was known to possess in a high degree by his intimate friends, though an opposite character of him prevailed in the world. In the practice of these higher virtues, did he constantly live, even with a stoical severity and none of the great characters of antiquity, were, on that account, more entitled to our esteem and admiration.īut to conciliate the good will and love of mankind, qualities of a gentler sort are necessary, the virtues of humanity such as friendship, liberality, charity, good nature, &c. His prudence, indeed, with regard to worldly views, might often be called in question and sometimes he might be hurried away from listening to her sober dictates, by the impetuosity of a warm imagination, or allured by the sportiveness of fancy: yet on all important occasions, he showed that he had no common share of that virtue, so necessary to the right direction of all the others. Accordingly we find, from his first appearance in the world, he was possessed of three of the cardinal virtues, justice, temperance, and fortitude, in an eminent degree. The soil in which no weeds sprout up, will reward the cultivator with plenteous crops of useful grain. #ISWIFT DEFENCE INDIA FREE#Is an old adage and the bosom that is free from vice, is finely prepared for the reception of virtue.
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